If you’re ready to start editing killer YouTube videos, these are the five editing steps that I recommend to beginners.

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If you want to learn how to edit killer YouTube videos, you’re in luck! Today I’m sharing the 5 steps that I recommend to beginners. 

In this guide, I’m sharing the top video editing tips and tricks that I’ve learned over the past 5 years of being on YouTube. This is going to be your ultimate beginner guide to video editing, from start to finish!  

As always, if you’d like to watch instead of read, click the video below.

Tips and Tricks to Editing Killer YouTube Videos as a Beginner

Step One: Setting Yourself Up for Success

I always edit the best video when I go into the project already feeling organized. This means your first step actually starts way before you start editing – it begins when you’re filming and organizing your footage after filming.

I’m someone who likes to script or at least outline my videos. I have a lot of moments in my YouTube videos where I’m just a talking head, or I’m doing a specific tutorial. Having an outline or a script lets me know what shots I need to get for my video’s b-roll. And this ultimately means I am going to be way more organized when I’m filming – and not miss any shots that I need for my final video. 

If you’re vlogging, you’re probably not going to do an outline for your video because it’s all organic and happening in real time. In this case, you just need to make sure your footage is organized before editing. 

How to organize your footage after filming: 

1. Plug your SD card and external hard drive* into your laptop
2. Create files on your hard drive for the various elements of your video (i.e. a folder for b-roll and a folder for a-roll)
3. Drag the clips for your SD card into the corresponding files 
4. Open your video editing software (if you want an example of my using CapCut, watch the video above and skip ahead to 4:04)
5. Create a project
6. Create folders for your footage
7. Drag and drop the footage into your folders
8. Edit the details to match the film source

*Pro tip: I highly recommend investing in an external hard drive because it’s going to make your life so much easier when editing. Instead of storing the files on your laptop, store them on your external hard drive and that will free up your computer’s internal storage, it will help videos load faster and it will help your computer run more smoothly while you’re editing. 

Just remember to keep the hard drive plugged into your laptop the entire time you’re editing because that’s where the files are stored. 

A-Roll v.s. B-Roll

A-Roll is the primary footage that’s typically where you’re talking to the camera. It’s the portion of your video that shows your face (i.e. my talking head moments). 

B-Roll is the supporting or alternative footage where you’re probably doing things on camera and not talking. This video will be used to show your point and will usually have your voice still talking over the footage. 

Step Two: The First Pass of Editing Killer YouTube Videos

Once you’ve uploaded all of your footage into your project timeline, it’s time to do a first pass. Basically, go through every shot and cut out the fluff, mistakes or anything that doesn’t make sense to keep for the final video or story that you’re telling. 

This is definitely the most time consuming part of editing, but it also feels really cool to be able to create something from nothing. It will be so much more rewarding when you’ve finished the first pass. 

Here are some tricks to help you save time when editing killer YouTube videos: 

• Understand your keywords shortcuts: Ctrl+B= Splice. W= Delete Right. Q= Delete Left. Keyboard shortcuts save you a ton of time when you’re editing. 
• Edit backwards – this is a tip that I learned from Thinkmedia! 
• Add ‘claps’ when you’re filming. For example, if you’re recording yourself talking and you’ve made an error, don’t stop the video. Simply ‘clap’ and then start over. This ‘clap’ is really easy to find in your video and can speed up the time it takes you to edit out your mistakes. 
• Script/outline your videos and read from a teleprompter (this is my favorite one!) 

Now you’re ready to do your first pass and cut out everything that you don’t need to keep. 

If you’ve already learned something and you’re ready for more resources to help walk you through getting your YouTube Channel started and monetzied, I have an ultimate YouTube Starter Workbook that you can download for free here. 

It’s a 20+ interactive workbook to help you define your content strategy for YouTube. It also includes my YouTube starter checklist, equipment guide and my step-by-step process for coming up with endless YouTube videos. So if that sounds helpful, download for free today. 

OK now it’s time to move onto our 3 step for editing killer YouTube videos: Mastering your hook. 

Step Three: Master the Hook of Your YouTube Videos

Personally, I like to make sure the hook of my video is finalized because it helps me know the purpose and pacing for the rest of my editing. 

Knowing my hook helps me carry the storyline that I promised from the very beginning. 

The hook is the line or portion of your video that is meant to intrigue the audience enough to keep watching. Mr. Beast is an example of someone who knows how ot make a really good hook, BUT in reality, different video types call for different hooks. 

In this video on my channel, I talk about the four main types of content people tend to create. 

1. Educational
2. Entertaining
3. Inspirational 
4. Relatable 

Mr. Beast falls into the ‘Entertainment’ category, so of course, his hooks are going ot be highly produced, fast paced and sometimes even “high risk.” But for someone in the ‘Educational’ category, a hook might just be telling you exactly what to expect in the video and getting straight to the point. 

I could make an entire video about dissecting video hooks fo reach content type, so if that’s something you’re interested in seeing – comment below (or on the YouTube video above!)

For now, edit your hook for what you think would be the most engaging for your audience. Ask yourself: 

• What will capture their attention?
• What are they here to see?
• Why would they watch until the end of my video? 

Moving onto my 4th step to help you edit killer YouTube videos as a beginner. 

Step Four: Adding the Spice to Your YouTube Edits

Now is when you’re going to do a couple of pass through and add the extra effects to your video. This is anything that we think might keep the video moving and engaging for the viewer. 

For example: 

• Cuts (cut-in, cut-out/back)
• Adding sound or audio effects
• Adding in your b-roll
• Text

To save time, I find it easiest to do each edit in batches. When you’re going through your timeline, first focus on the simple and quick edits (i.e. cuts and transitions between scenes). While you do that, you can add markers for where you want to put the b-roll on your next pass. 

For your final pass, adding the text and captions throughout the video. The more you edit, the most you’ll find your preference for the order that you like to do things. 

Step Five: Finalizing Your Video

The final step to editing killer YouTube videos is do a re-watch and SAVE all of the changes that you’ve made so far. I love that CapCut auto saves so if the app force closes, you will still have all of your progress. 

Now, export your project to the folder that you made earlier on your external hard drive! 

Double check that the video settings match the settings the files were recorded on. I always film in 1080p and 30fps because those are the setting that work on all platforms (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, etc.) 

And then export! 

In 5 easy steps you’ll have your first killer YouTube Video edited for your channel. 

So what’s next? Well, if you’re ready to strat growing your channel, I recommend watching this video next where I sare the exact steps I would take if I was starting from scratch on YouTube. It’s my guide to helping you grow on YouTube quickly! 

Want to know how much money you can make through your YouTube Channel? Read this next.

If you’ve made it this far, thank you so much for being here and supporting me. Follow your joy!